Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 68/781,530 entitled: "Flat Panel-Configured Lightweight Modular Antenna Assembly Having RF Amplifier Modules Embedded in Support Structure Between Radiation and Signal Distribution Panels," by S. Wilson et al, filed on even date herewith, assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosure of which is herein incorporated, describes and illustrates a lightweight antenna sub-panel architecture, which is particularly suited for airborne and space deployable applications.
In accordance with this improved antenna sub-panel architecture, a respective antenna sub-panel comprises a generally flat front or outer facesheet to which an array of antenna elements is affixed. This front facesheet is bonded to a first surface of a structurally rigid, thermally stable, lightweight intermediate structure, preferably formed as a honeycomb-configured metallic support member. A rear facesheet supporting a plurality of printed wiring boards containing beam-forming and signal distribution networks and additional printed wiring boards which contain DC power and digital control links is mounted to a second surface of the intermediate honeycomb-configured support member.
The intermediate honeycomb support member has a plurality of slots which retain RF signal processing (amplifier and phase/amplitude control) circuit modules, so as to provide a highly compact, integrated architecture, that is readily joined with other like laminate sub-panels, to provide an overall antenna spacial configuration that defines a prescribed antenna aperture. The thickness of the intermediate support member is defined in accordance with the lengths of the RF signal processing modules, such that input/output ports of the RF modules at opposite ends thereof are substantially coplanar with the conductor traces on the front and rear facesheets, whereby the RF modules provide the functionality of RF feed-through coupling connections between the rear and front facesheets of the antenna sub-panel.
In order to attain modular structure design objectives of reduced weight, low profile and decreased manufacturing and assembly complexity, the radiation elements that are distributed on the outer surface of the front facesheet are preferably patch-configured components. Since conventional patch antenna elements are pin-fed, narrow bandwidth devices (typically on the order of seven to ten percent), not only do they require a multi-step assembly and connection process, but the resulting panel structure has limited radiation performance capabilities.